The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-12-02
THE DRUMMER BOY.
Il Am But Captain; You Are q
Hero"

On the first day of the battle Of
Custozza. July "a. 1913. about sixty
soldiers belonging to one of the italian
infantry regiments, having been sen,
10 occupy an isolated house on height,
were Unexpectedly attacked by two
companies of Austrians. who, firing on
them from different points, barely gave
them time to take refuge in the house
and hastily barricade the doors, leaving
several dead and wounded in the fields.
After barricading the doors the Italian
soldiers hastily ran to the windows on
the first floor, and began to pour a
steady fire into the assailants, who
were gradually advancing in a semi
circle and replying vigorously.
The sixty Italians were commanded
by two subalterns and Captain. tall
old fellow, lean and severe. with white
hair and mustaches; with them there
was a Sandman drummer boy. a boy
not much more than fourteen years
old. and who scarcely appeared to be
twelve; he was small. with an olive
brown face. and two sparkling little
deep black eyes. The Captain was di-
recting the defense from a window on
the first floor, while the semi-circle of
the enemy kept closing up.
All at once, the Captain, who until
then had been impossible, was seen to
show signs of uneasiness and to stride
out of the room followed by a sergeant.
About three minutes afterward the
sergeant came running back and called
the drummer boy. reckoning him to
follow. The boy ran after him up a
wooden staircase and went with him
into an empty garnet. where he saw the
Captain, who was writing with pencil
on a sheet of paper, leaning against
the window, with a wcll-rOpe on the
floor at his feet.
The Captain folded the paper, and,
looking with his cold, grayish eyes, be-
fore which all the soldiers trembled,
into the eyes of the boy, said abruptly:
Drummer boy" The drummer boy
saluted. The Captain said: You've
got grit The boys eyes lighted up.
Eyes. Captain, he answered
look down there" said the Cap
tain, pushing him to the window. ''in
the plain. near the houses of Villa
franco, where there is glittering of
bayonets. Those are our friends. stand
ing idle. Take this note, catch hold of
the rope. slide down from the window.
run down the hill. 60 through the
fields. reach our friends and give the
note to the first officer you see. Chuck
away your belt and knapsack."
The boy took off his belt and KNAPP
sack and put the note into his breast
pocket; the sergeant threw out the rope
and grasped one end of it with both
hands; the Captain helped the boy pas:
backward through the little window.
Take care" he said to him; 1.-THE
safety of the detachment depends or
your courage and on your legs"
Trust me, Captain" replied the
drummer boy, swinging himself out.
.'Stoop rs you 60 down." said the
Captain again. helping the sergeant t.
hold the rope.
Never fear"
God help YOU"
In few moments the boy was on tn,
ground; the sergeant drew up the rop,
and disappeared; the Captain sprang K
the window and saw the boy fyin:
down the hill.
He was already hoping that he hat
succeeded in escaping unobserved whel
five or six little clouds of dust which
rose from the ground both before ant
behind the boy warned him that he had
been seen by the Austrians, who wer'
firing at him from the top of the hill
Those little clouds were earth thrown
UP BY the bullets. But the boy con
tinued to run at brcakneck pace. Al
at once he fell.
killed. roared the Captain, bitin:
his fist. But he had scarcely said tn,
word when he saw the boy get up
s.Ah. only fall!'' he said to himself
and breathed again. In fact the DO,
began to run again as fast as he could
but he limped. "A spraincd ankle,
thought the Captain.
The boy ran swiftly for awhile, theI
limped and slackened his pace, ant
then broke into run again, but h
seemed to become more and more ia
tigued, and every little while stumbled
and paused for moment
Perhaps he has been hit by glanc
ing bullet" thought the Captain, ant
he shudderingly watched all his move
ments and encouraged him and spok
to him, as if the boy could hear him
he measured necessarily. with keel
eyes, the distance interposing between
the running boy and the giittering O
arms which he saw down there in tn
plain in the midst of the wheat fields
gildcd by the sun. And meanwhile h
heard the whistling and the noise o
the bullets in the rooms below, the i'm
perious and angry cries Of tns officer
and sergcants, the groans of the wound
ed. and the crashing of furniture ant
plaster. up! courageT he cried. fol
lowing with his gaze the distant boy
e.Forward! run! He has stopped
curse him! All! he is running again.
An officer came. out Of breath. :